Wallace at Bay by Alexander Wilson

They might shoot the German, but the shock, as the bullets entered his body, would, in itself, be sufficient to cause his finger to stiffen on the trigger and bring about Carter’s death. Zanazaryk and Pestalozzi recovered their courage somewhat on seeing the German’s defiance. They had obeyed the order to raise their hands; now they lowered them again, and ranged themselves on either side of Haeckel. Sir Leonard smiled a little, both his hands were in his raincoat pockets now.
    ‘Lower that revolver, and stand back,’ he ordered quietly in German. ‘Resistance of this sort on your part can only have one result. If you surrender, you will face a fair trial, with a term of imprisonment only behind it. On the other hand, if you persist in this attitude, you will lose your lives. I will give you two minutes to decide.’
    Haeckel actually laughed.
    ‘And of zis man vat?’ he sneered, persisting in his poor English. ‘Is it zat you mind not if killed he is?’
    ‘He will not be killed,’ declared Sir Leonard. ‘Hurry, and make your choice; nearly a minute has passed.’
    His tone was so cool and commanding that all Zanazaryk’s and Pestalozzi’s fears returned. They did not like the assurance of this calm man with the steely eyes and confident manner. It occurred to them he was prepared to sacrifice the man they had captured, if need be, to gain his ends. Carter was no whitperturbed. He even smiled as he listened to his chief.
    ‘I haf mine choice made,’ proclaimed Haeckel.
    ‘So be it,’ returned Wallace shrugging his shoulders a little. He eyed Pestalozzi and Zanazaryk. ‘If you two possess any common sense,’ he continued in German, ‘you will persuade your companion to forsake his absurd attitude. We know you are all here with the intention of attempting to assassinate King Peter. If you hope for any mercy from the English courts, it will pay you to acknowledge that you are caught and not make your case worse by attempting to resist.’
    ‘Do not listen to him,’ hissed Haeckel. ‘We will make a bargain for this man’s life.’
    Still looking at Pestalozzi, Sir Leonard continued to warn the anarchists of the folly of their attitude, but in the middle of a sentence he suddenly spoke in Hindustani, a language with which Carter was fairly well acquainted.
    ‘When I cough, Carter,’ he ordered, ‘duck like lightning. Understand?’
    ‘ Jih ,’ returned that young man promptly.
    ‘What is it you say?’ asked the puzzled Pestalozzi; ‘I no understand.’
    Sir Leonard ignored him, and turned again to Haeckel.
    ‘The two minutes I gave you are up,’ he stated. ‘What is your decision?’
    ‘I tell you I haf mine dezision made.’
    ‘Very well.’
    He coughed, and Carter went down to the floor as though he had been poleaxed. At the same moment Wallace fired at Haeckel through the pocket of his raincoat. His bullet hit the German in the elbow, and the latter dropped his revolver witha scream of pain and fury. Pestalozzi cringed back, making no attempt at resistance, but Zanazaryk seemed suddenly to regain his courage. He threw up his arm and was about to fire at the recumbent figure of Carter, but Brien was watching him, and promptly shot him in the right shoulder. The Czechoslovakian reeled back; sank cursing into a chair.
    The fight was by no means over. Despite his wound, Haeckel flung himself, with a snarl like that of a wild beast, at Sir Leonard Wallace. The latter could easily have shot him again, but refrained. Instead he stepped neatly aside, and the German found himself in the iron grip of Shannon. He struggled desperately, but he might as well have attempted to wrestle with an orangoutang. The most powerful man in the Secret Service held him with ease, and grinned cheerfully into his face.
    ‘Naughty, naughty!’ he murmured. ‘You’ll hurt that arm of yours.’
    He handed him over to Cartright and the Scotland Yard man, the latter deftly snapping a pair of handcuffs on his wrists.